KB
by Kim Castle
Summary: This is my first fanfic ever, and I know it's short. I didn't really know what to name it. I'll try to write more, but I don't know if it's going anywhere. I just gave it a general "T" rating because of the crime scenes. That seems appropriate doesn't it?
1. Chapter 1

Kate Beckett woke suddenly, trying to remember the dream she had been absorbed in. She shivered and looked for the clock on her nightstand. There were no glowing numbers. Damn it, she thought, the power must be out in her building.

Kate felt around in the darkness until her hand came in contact with her cellphone. 4:53, it said. So very, very early on a chilly Thursday morning. No, not chilly, she thought, cold, in fact, freezing. Kate pulled the covers up around her shoulders and realized her nose was cold, so she buried her face in the blankets as well.

Kate tried to fall asleep again, but just as she began to drift off, her phone rang. Murder. What a lovely wake up call. As she hung up the phone, Kate noticed her voice was slightly raspy. She sniffed and hoped she wasn't getting a cold.

Kate decided a nice, hot shower would make her feel better. After letting the water run for a couple minutes, Kate stepped into the shower. Then she quickly stepped out. The water was freezing. "You've gotta be kidding me," she mumbled to herself, realizing she had no electricity and no hot water.

Kate Beckett got dressed, adding an extra sweater to the outfit, not feeling too bad about skipping her morning shower. After all, she had taken a nice bubble bath the night before.


	2. Chapter 2

As Kate Beckett drove to the crime scene, she picked up her phone to call Richard Castle. She sniffed again and cleared her throat while waiting for him to pick up the phone. It went to voicemail, and Beckett figured Castle was still asleep. She left a message, telling him where the crime scene was.

Kate crossed to crime scene tape, blinking slowly as she thought about her mother, just like she always did. Inside, she came upon Detective Javier Esposito and Detective Kevin Ryan speaking with a distraught girl and a man who Kate guessed was her father.

Esposito turned to Kate. "Lanie's in there with the body." He pointed to a doorway.

"Thanks, Esposito." Kate replied, walking to the other room. Her phone beeped as she got a text from Castle. It read: _sorry, I was in the bathroom. U sound like crap._

She replied with: _thanks Castle. And thanks for sharing._

Putting her phone away, Beckett moved toward the body of a girl with brown hair who looked like she could be the sister of the girl in the next room.

Kate greeted her friend, "Hi, Lanie." She coughed.

"You sound like crap," the M.E. replied.

Kate rolled her eyes, "So I've been told. So what have we got here?"

Lanie answered her, "Nothing I've dealt with before. COD I would say is impalement. This girl was tortured."

Beckett's brow furrowed. "How?"

The M.E. turned the girl over to reveal some strange green sticks running through her abdomen.

"What is that?" Kate inquired.

"Bamboo."

Beckett jumped at the voice behind her. "Castle! You scared the—" as she said this, she turned around to find Castle standing directly behind her. She stepped back quickly.

"Coffee?" Castle offered, grinning, as he held out a cup for her.

Kate Beckett accepted it graciously, thankful to have something warm to drink.**_  
_**


	3. Chapter 3

"So our victim's name is Shannon White, age 18," Kevin Ryan informed Beckett and Castle. Behind him, Detective Esposito was speaking with the man and girl. Ryan continued: "Shannon has been living at an apartment just off campus of NYU. It was her first year."

Detective Esposito stepped forward to speak. "This is Shannon's father, Bill White," he gestured to the man behind him who was crying silently. "And this is Shannon's sister, Mikayla." Mikayla looked up at the sound of her name, eyes streaming.

"I'm very sorry for your loss," Kate said. At this, Mikayla started to cry again and sat down on the couch. Her father joined her and tried to comfort her.

Beckett and Castle sat in the chairs across from the disheartened pair. "Mr. White, when was the last time you saw your daughter?" Kate could feel another cough growing in her throat.

"Shannon was just home last weekend," Mr. White replied. "And I heard some noise this morning that woke me up. I figured Mikayla might be getting water or something, but then I... I found Shannon." He began to say more, but the sobs he had been holding back finally sounded.

Mikayla continued for her father. "My birthday was last Sunday, and Shannon came home as a surprise."

Kate nodded and had to cough again. She found her voice, which was declining rapidly, "Was there anything strange or different you noticed about her?"

Mikayla answered, "No, I don't think so."

Kate needed to know more. "Alright. Did your sister―" with that, Kate's voice cracked. She tried to repeat her words, but her voice was  
gone. She opened her mouth and closed it as Castle stepped in for her.

"Mikayla, do you know if your sister had any enemies?" Castle asked. He had known exactly what Kate was thinking. Either he was psychic, or had just heard the investigations so many times. Kate decided on the latter.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's note: Yes, I know the last chapter got cut off in the middle of the scene, but if I hadn't cut it there, the chapter would have been really long compared to my other ones so far! Happy reading! :)**_

After Castle finished asking the questions for Kate, they went to the precinct. Kate was feeling worse, and while Castle was getting more coffee from his fancy expresso machine, she dug through her desk drawers looking for some DayQuill or anything else that might help.

Castle walked to Beckett's desk with a mug in each hand and struggled to find an empty place to set them down. Kate's desk was now covered with papers and other items that came from her drawers. She finally located a bottle of Aspirin and decided it would have to do for now. She took a few with her coffee and tried to stuff everything back into the drawers.

Kate sat down in her chair and tried to take a deep breath, but coughed as she did so.

"You should go home," Castle said.

Kate shook her head, not sure if her voice was working. She coughed again and sniffed.

"Really, Beckett, go home and get some rest," Castle pressed.

Kate grabbed a pen and scribbled on a piece of paper. She handed it to Castle. It read 'I'm fine. I just don't have a voice.'

"That doesn't mean you're fine."

Beckett scowled and grabbed the paper. 'Yes I am!'

"Fine!" Castle got up and walked over to talk to Ryan and Esposito. He needed someone to respond to his words.

Kate tried to organize her desk, and then started filling out some paperwork. When she looked up a few minutes later, Castle had disappeared from her view. She half-wished he had left so she wouldn't have to worry about him pushing her to go home. She continued with her paperwork.

A few minutes later, Kate looked up to find Roy Montgomery standing over her. She tried to clear her throat.

"Castle says you're sick," he said.

Kate blinked slowly, thinking she would have to hurt Castle for telling the captain. She tried to respond to Roy, but her voice was still gone.

"I think you should go home, Beckett," he said.

Kate picked up her pen and wrote on some paper. 'I'm fine. I have a lot of paperwork to do.' She handed the paper to her boss and sneazed.

Montgomery pressed on, "Go home and rest. That's an order."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's note: This chapter is short, and I don't love how it turned out. I just needed to express this scene. Happy reading! :)**_

Rick Castle looked up as Detective Beckett walked past him. She was bundled up in her jacket and scarf and was juggling a shoulder bag, some files, and the handful of tissues she hoped would last the ride home.

"So you are going home," Castle stated.

Beckett nodded whilst coughing. As she unfolded a tissue, the files slipped from under her arm. Castle caught them and held them out to her. She stuck out a finger to say 'hold on' as she continued to blow her nose.

Kate tossed the tissue in a trash behind her. She turned back to Castle, with her hand out to grab the files. Instead, Castle squirted hand sanitizer on Kate's hand. She rubbed her hands together, but had excess. She wiped it on Castle's shirt as payback for reporting her cold to the Captain. She didn't have the energy to punish him any more than that. For now.

Castle stepped back and rubbed his hands on his shirt and said "Hey!"

Kate shrugged and picked up the files from where Castle had put them down.

"Feel better," Castle said. He studied her face. She looked weary; more tired than he would have expected.

Kate adjusted the bag on her shoulder, but it slipped. She managed to catch it, and hoisted it back onto her shoulder.

As Kate walked to the elevator, Castle said goodbye and wondered what  
he would do for the rest of the day.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's note: I'm sorry it took me so long to update this, but I was struggling with this chapter. I just couldn't get it. Now, I know it's short, so don't yell at me. I'm going to New Hampshire this weekend, so I probably won't be able to post anything for a bit. Perhaps I will post the next chapter later today! Happy reading! ;)_**

Kate Beckett sat on her couch. Fortunately there was heat in her apartment. Kate had taken a hot shower when she got home, and felt slightly better. Now, Kate was looking over her files and notes about the crime scene. Lanie had judged that their victim had been dead for around five hours when she examined her.

The bamboo was a strange way to kill someone. Kate knew it took a few days to grow, so she guessed Shannon White must have been missing for a bit. Kate made a note to contact Shannon's school on that matter.

As Kate was getting into her notes, the lights flickered. _Oh dear god_, she thought. The power went out. Kate closed her eyes, annoyed. _Not again._

Kate tried to continue working, but became distracted by the candles she had lit. She watched the dancing flames in front of her, mesmorized. It took a while for Kate to realize that the three small candles were the only source of heat in her apartment.

_**Yes, that was really short. I am aware. The next couple chapters are getting better. Thanks for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**_Author's note: I couldn't help myself. I had to post the next chapter for you guys!_**

Richard Castle sat in his home office. His laptop was open in front of him and he stared blankly at some text he had written for the next  
Nikki Heat novel. Castle was trying to read over a chapter for grammar, but was worried about his muse. He hoped there was heat at Detective Beckett's apartment.

Rick found himself rereading the same paragraph on the screen for the hundredth time. He checked the clock. It was 5:14 The sky, he noticed, had darkened.

Several times, Castle had contemplated picking up the phone to call Beckett and make sure she had heat, but he didn't want to bother her. Kate was a smart girl, she would call someone if she needed to.

Castle looked at his computer, which had flipped to the screensaver, when he heard a knock on the door. Rick wandered across the apartment wondering who it could be. It wouldn't be Alexis because she was at a study group until six. And Martha was out for dinner with Chet.

Castle reached the door. He couldn't think of anyone who would be at his door so he opened it to find...

Detective Kate Beckett.

**_There you go. I'll leave you with that. :)_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's note: Hiya, everybody! I apologize for not posting a chapter for so long! I've been so busy! School started up agin last week, so I'm getting back in to the groove of things. Thanks everyone! Enjoy! :)**_

Kate looked exhausted. She was wearing two scarves and a knitted hat  
in addition to her coat and gloves.

Castle raised his eyebrows when he saw her. "What a pleasant surprise,  
Detective Beckett," he said.

Kate still had no voice, so she had to whisper, "I have no heat again."

When Castle asked Beckett inside, she did not hesitate. She strode quickly into Castle's warm abode and he followed her, shutting the door.

"Would you like some chicken noodle soup," Castle asked.

Kate nodded and Castle walked into the kitchen. Beckett stood in between the kitchen and living room, happily absorbing the heat. After a minute, she took off her outer layers of clothing and kicked off her shoes. She had on a thick navy sweatshirt and some black yoga pants. She stood, hugging her arms and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about how Castle was so helpful. He didn't mind taking her in when she needed it.

"There's a blanket on that chair if you want it," Castle said, bringing Kate back from her thoughts. "Or we could just snuggle," he continued with an exaggerated wink.

Beckett rolled her eyes as she grabbed the blanket, wrapping around herself. She watched Castle who was pouring soup into a bowl. Kate decided to curl up on the couch as she waited for Castle. She sniffled.

"Your soup, my lady," Castle announced as he delivered the steaming bowl upon a tray. He set it down on the coffee table in front of Beckett. There was also some bread and a cup of hot tea.

"Thanks, Castle," Beckett mouthed. She sniffled again as she reached for the soup.

"Careful, it's hot!" Rick warned.

Kate waited a minute, swirling the soup around with a spoon.

_**So... What do you think? What's gonna happen next? Mwahaha...cliffhangers... 3**_


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